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Maybe they're just real quiet........

No their dead, after getting my best harvest, and healthiest hives and nucs Ive had I had a series of hits by bears. I managed to cobble together three hives that were looking pretty good going into winter but alls quiet now. I just peaked in and their dead, froze, I'm guessing they went queen less and could not heat the hive as a result. Still a couple hundred pounds of honey. But it looks like Im taking this summer off. I just got them moved to a new bear proof site that I built this past fall. Well its ready for a swarm which I will try to catch, or if Im lucky a couple of Mike P.s nucs. Oh I know my location says cape cod, these hive are in coos county NH at my maple sugar camp. I guess 17 years in bear country and only missing one is not to bad.

Re: Maybe thier just real quiet........

Bears hit our orchard during drought years here, but only if they need food the mountains didn't provide. I think I'll start a 'bear fence fund' and begin tossing my spare change in there, it looks expensive to lose all that gear.

Re: Maybe thier just real quiet........

I am in the NEK. I am adjacent to Coos county. I've never lost a hive over the winter. I've never got one through the spring. Three different locations. The bears came through. What is startling is that it appears they went right through your electric fence?

Re: Maybe thier just real quiet........

I have a neighbor who has kept bees for 50 years. He also happens to be a Vermont game warden. He says he's seen momma bears teach their cubs that the electric fence hurts. But once you get past it, it is worth it.

Re: Maybe thier just real quiet........

It is a solar powered fence and its battery failed. I have corrected the problem with a higher amp hour battery. Once they hit they kept coming back my dogs went nuts and helped run them off. Ive had them come in while I was working them, started bring my shotgun and firing to warn them away. I guess I will see what the future brings. I do love the bears and hope to find a balance. You are right about spring up here.

Re: Maybe thier just real quiet........

I've been hit by bears too, but not since I got my electric fence, which is also solar powered. They sure are cute tho, eh? It's hard to hate them. Altho it's very tempting when the destroyed equipment is all over. I once had a mama and 3 cubs in my yard. The 3 cubs were up the pine tree, the mama was straddled around the trunk, the dog was barking at them, I was yelling and clanging pots.

Hives don't seem to make it thru the winter once they've been toppled by a bear, even if they still have their queens. I'm thinking it's PTSD.

Re: Maybe thier just real quiet........

Originally Posted by NewbeeInNH

I've been hit by bears too, but not since I got my electric fence, which is also solar powered. They sure are cute tho, eh? It's hard to hate them. Altho it's very tempting when the destroyed equipment is all over. I once had a mama and 3 cubs in my yard. The 3 cubs were up the pine tree, the mama was straddled around the trunk, the dog was barking at them, I was yelling and clanging pots.

Hives don't seem to make it thru the winter once they've been toppled by a bear, even if they still have their queens. I'm thinking it's PTSD.

You may be right as they just were not right from late Aug when they got hit, and the robbing it creates, wow.